Post by Robot on Aug 18, 2016 13:11:31 GMT
Overview: Professional classes, I'm reviewing something based on professionalism. Alright, sure. Chef is the first of five classes in this category, for PTU's 1.05 edition. All of the classes in the category fall under more passive extended action support roles in producing goods or tutoring features. Chef itself focuses on getting more use out of 'digestion buffs' through their mastery of making digestables. Honestly I don't know why they didn't just call it a food buff, it's a food buff. Video games swing this crap often enough that it's not a foreign concept. Tirade aside, Chef is a very money intensive class. It's features are, for the most part, fueled by your cash flow. In games where your GM often provides crafting scrap, or monetary resources this class can be outstanding. Survival games, or bad/stingy GMs hurt it's intended functionality.
Pros
-Intuition Class Skill, being the social equivalent of Perception.
-Reduces costs on foodstuffs and craftables, making items more readily available and more likely to see use beyond the standard berries available in nearly every game setting and format. Recipes available on the Chef list are probably annotated for 'Shops' somewhere in an obscure section of the book, but in general crafters spend half or less to make an item then it is to simply purchase one from the store.
-Allows for the shuffling of BST using Vitamins more readily because of reduced costs, without turning to stat reduction items. We want to go up, not down.
-Meal recipe that boosts available party AP a good support, but requires ingredients that may have to be hunted for.
-Further enhances and recycles the food buffs it provides.
Cons
-Consumable class. You will forever be hemorrhaging money to get full benefit from your Features. It won't be as much as if you straight purchased the items from a vendor, but you will sit lower on the financial curve barring generous appearances of food scrap.
-AP Whore. Like Juggler, this class will just bleed it's AP. If you have another class with features that are heavy on cost you may want to either dodge out on some of Chef's stronger reactive features, or debate which has priority. Unlike Juggler, which can burn an AP a round, maybe two if Quick Switch also triggers, Chef works through it's allies and can expend it's entire reservoir in the course of a single round or two if the turns go right.
Base Feature: You become capable of crafting six flavored snacks that give a larger benefit when given to a Pokemon that like the taste. Thematically this is a pretty good start to the class, brings some of the lesser utilized elements of the video game into play in the tabletop, and also makes Chef want for Pokemon that have certain stat-associated natures. This depends on the sorts of snacks they prefer to specialize in. Chefs can fluff their cooking style however they'd like, and the one I've run so far probably focused on dry and sweet foods. Funnel cakes! Get your funnel cakes here! Typically, you will prefer the taste that a Pokemon likes the most and avoid the ones it dislikes. Salty Surprise, Dry Wafer, and Spicy Wrap are my preferred go tos. This is more because walls tend to have one stat or the other, and a smart opponent will always aim for your weakness. Unlike Berries, Chef's foods all have triggers, so they don't take actions to consume. Also lets you spontaneously produce milk at Master rank, something a certain GM who will remain unnamed won't leave me alone about.
Hits the Spot: Spend an AP to gain +2xIntuition in Temporary Hp. At Virtuoso, carrying Accentuated Taste and Complex Aftertaste, with a Pokemon that likes Salty Snacks, has the Gluttony and Lunchbox abilities, you can net yourself a whopping total of 36 Hp and a full 6 instances of Temporary Hp. 198 Temp for 600 Pyen and 9 AP. This plays into other abilities that Chef has, and probably should not be used this way, as it will typically at least double a Pokemon's Hitpoint total if it can survive enough hits to trigger every buff it's carrying. With leftovers and dumplings as options, it gets worse since you can pack healing to go with your temporary hp. Also grants you the +2 AP Meal, so you can have your pre-raid feast.
Culinary Appreciation: For 2 TP allows your Pokemon to store three food buffs instead of one. These need not be unique either, so if you want to load up on a particular flavor and be a fatty it's on you. Not entirely necessary for a Chef build, this is an expensive option though it does grant more personal power in the short and long run. A more supporting role that is less likely to forcefeed it's team all of it's AP probably wouldn't run Gluttony, so that you can actually give allies the benefit of Complex Aftertaste. Gives the ability to make special baits, which unless you're into that is kinda meh.
Accentuated Taste: Passively gives small associated increases to a Pokemon's secondary combat statistics when they consume a food buff. It isn't clarified in the feature itself if these bonuses stack with themselves beyond the generic statement of 'whenever a Pokemon trades in' so I'm assuming it's cumulative. This means trading in three spicy wraps grants a +3 Critical Hit range until the Pokemon has their CS reset, takes a breather, or switches, I would imagine. This feature helps Chef fit into battler roles a bit better, but again relies on the actual natures of their Pokemon. Pairing with a Mentor, or being one yourself, isn't a terrible idea if you are intending to use this ability to any great effect. It's that or run Cap Spec/Pokemaniac. Gives you a second use of berries and other consumables by making a series of decorative jams. Also plays into Dumplings later.
Complex Aftertaste: I'm not a very cultured individual, so all I can think of is one of those really wet burps after a filling meal that tastes like the contents of your stomach but isn't actually terrible. You know, the ones where it feels like you threw up in your mouth a little. Anyway, this Feature lets the Chef renew a food buff once when it is expended, sort of like the move Recycle except it's a free action. Conversely, load up on Pokemon with the Harvest ability and save yourself on some AP. I think that's only really Tropius and Trevenant though, I'll look into it. As worded, Harvest isn't berry specific, which I thought was kind of funny. Finally, I can live my dreams of having a tree that just grows tacos. Gives access to Leftovers which heals for 1/16th your total health each turn. That's the value from the video games, it's a wonky ass fraction, and will never be a relevant healing value. In a one on one fight, the amount of stall you can whip off is limited to one turn, maybe two. The Devs hate healing. Even boosting leftovers to a 'half tick' would make it more worthwhile, at least then I wouldn't have to do long division to figure out what my recovery amount is.
Dietician: Your Pokemon can benefit from two additional vitamins, and you now craft them for half price. Lets you craft vitamins. If you aren't rolling in cash, the 2450 for a +1 to a stat is probably better spent on held items, trainer gear, or TMs. The only reason to bother with this feature is if you're just absolutely swimming in dosh, or your team is a tearjerking tragedy of stats that just must be fed back from the sickly brink of death. Or you could take it for your buddy that really needs it, I mean, it's your build. If you want to play the martyr be my guest.
Dumplings: You mix two items into a superfood. You start whipping around buzz words like 'Anti-oxidants' and 'Low-Fat Gluten Free' and 'Pumpkin Spice'. Suddenly you're just swimming in people that want your Lum Berry Surprise. Effectively lets your allies benefit from two food buffs simultaneously, and your Gluttony Pokemon from six. Should be noted, Complex Aftertaste only renews the flavored portion of any buffs achieved this way, so if you have it, the most common and effective use of this feature will require one of the items be a flavored snack.
Pros
-Intuition Class Skill, being the social equivalent of Perception.
-Reduces costs on foodstuffs and craftables, making items more readily available and more likely to see use beyond the standard berries available in nearly every game setting and format. Recipes available on the Chef list are probably annotated for 'Shops' somewhere in an obscure section of the book, but in general crafters spend half or less to make an item then it is to simply purchase one from the store.
-Allows for the shuffling of BST using Vitamins more readily because of reduced costs, without turning to stat reduction items. We want to go up, not down.
-Meal recipe that boosts available party AP a good support, but requires ingredients that may have to be hunted for.
-Further enhances and recycles the food buffs it provides.
Cons
-Consumable class. You will forever be hemorrhaging money to get full benefit from your Features. It won't be as much as if you straight purchased the items from a vendor, but you will sit lower on the financial curve barring generous appearances of food scrap.
-AP Whore. Like Juggler, this class will just bleed it's AP. If you have another class with features that are heavy on cost you may want to either dodge out on some of Chef's stronger reactive features, or debate which has priority. Unlike Juggler, which can burn an AP a round, maybe two if Quick Switch also triggers, Chef works through it's allies and can expend it's entire reservoir in the course of a single round or two if the turns go right.
Base Feature: You become capable of crafting six flavored snacks that give a larger benefit when given to a Pokemon that like the taste. Thematically this is a pretty good start to the class, brings some of the lesser utilized elements of the video game into play in the tabletop, and also makes Chef want for Pokemon that have certain stat-associated natures. This depends on the sorts of snacks they prefer to specialize in. Chefs can fluff their cooking style however they'd like, and the one I've run so far probably focused on dry and sweet foods. Funnel cakes! Get your funnel cakes here! Typically, you will prefer the taste that a Pokemon likes the most and avoid the ones it dislikes. Salty Surprise, Dry Wafer, and Spicy Wrap are my preferred go tos. This is more because walls tend to have one stat or the other, and a smart opponent will always aim for your weakness. Unlike Berries, Chef's foods all have triggers, so they don't take actions to consume. Also lets you spontaneously produce milk at Master rank, something a certain GM who will remain unnamed won't leave me alone about.
Hits the Spot: Spend an AP to gain +2xIntuition in Temporary Hp. At Virtuoso, carrying Accentuated Taste and Complex Aftertaste, with a Pokemon that likes Salty Snacks, has the Gluttony and Lunchbox abilities, you can net yourself a whopping total of 36 Hp and a full 6 instances of Temporary Hp. 198 Temp for 600 Pyen and 9 AP. This plays into other abilities that Chef has, and probably should not be used this way, as it will typically at least double a Pokemon's Hitpoint total if it can survive enough hits to trigger every buff it's carrying. With leftovers and dumplings as options, it gets worse since you can pack healing to go with your temporary hp. Also grants you the +2 AP Meal, so you can have your pre-raid feast.
Culinary Appreciation: For 2 TP allows your Pokemon to store three food buffs instead of one. These need not be unique either, so if you want to load up on a particular flavor and be a fatty it's on you. Not entirely necessary for a Chef build, this is an expensive option though it does grant more personal power in the short and long run. A more supporting role that is less likely to forcefeed it's team all of it's AP probably wouldn't run Gluttony, so that you can actually give allies the benefit of Complex Aftertaste. Gives the ability to make special baits, which unless you're into that is kinda meh.
Accentuated Taste: Passively gives small associated increases to a Pokemon's secondary combat statistics when they consume a food buff. It isn't clarified in the feature itself if these bonuses stack with themselves beyond the generic statement of 'whenever a Pokemon trades in' so I'm assuming it's cumulative. This means trading in three spicy wraps grants a +3 Critical Hit range until the Pokemon has their CS reset, takes a breather, or switches, I would imagine. This feature helps Chef fit into battler roles a bit better, but again relies on the actual natures of their Pokemon. Pairing with a Mentor, or being one yourself, isn't a terrible idea if you are intending to use this ability to any great effect. It's that or run Cap Spec/Pokemaniac. Gives you a second use of berries and other consumables by making a series of decorative jams. Also plays into Dumplings later.
Complex Aftertaste: I'm not a very cultured individual, so all I can think of is one of those really wet burps after a filling meal that tastes like the contents of your stomach but isn't actually terrible. You know, the ones where it feels like you threw up in your mouth a little. Anyway, this Feature lets the Chef renew a food buff once when it is expended, sort of like the move Recycle except it's a free action. Conversely, load up on Pokemon with the Harvest ability and save yourself on some AP. I think that's only really Tropius and Trevenant though, I'll look into it. As worded, Harvest isn't berry specific, which I thought was kind of funny. Finally, I can live my dreams of having a tree that just grows tacos. Gives access to Leftovers which heals for 1/16th your total health each turn. That's the value from the video games, it's a wonky ass fraction, and will never be a relevant healing value. In a one on one fight, the amount of stall you can whip off is limited to one turn, maybe two. The Devs hate healing. Even boosting leftovers to a 'half tick' would make it more worthwhile, at least then I wouldn't have to do long division to figure out what my recovery amount is.
Dietician: Your Pokemon can benefit from two additional vitamins, and you now craft them for half price. Lets you craft vitamins. If you aren't rolling in cash, the 2450 for a +1 to a stat is probably better spent on held items, trainer gear, or TMs. The only reason to bother with this feature is if you're just absolutely swimming in dosh, or your team is a tearjerking tragedy of stats that just must be fed back from the sickly brink of death. Or you could take it for your buddy that really needs it, I mean, it's your build. If you want to play the martyr be my guest.
Dumplings: You mix two items into a superfood. You start whipping around buzz words like 'Anti-oxidants' and 'Low-Fat Gluten Free' and 'Pumpkin Spice'. Suddenly you're just swimming in people that want your Lum Berry Surprise. Effectively lets your allies benefit from two food buffs simultaneously, and your Gluttony Pokemon from six. Should be noted, Complex Aftertaste only renews the flavored portion of any buffs achieved this way, so if you have it, the most common and effective use of this feature will require one of the items be a flavored snack.